Highway Patrol ID's woman killed in fatal wreck

Published: Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 10:09 PM.

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"He attempted to blow his horn to get her attention, but by the time she turned around it was too late," Pierce said.

The front of the SUV struck Teachout, he said.

The call came in as just another wreck, one of more than a dozen because of icy conditions. Rescue workers then began hearing it was a pedestrian struck.

Investigators made a positive identification on the woman around midnight Saturday, but she apparently lived alone and troopers had trouble finding a next of kin. Earlier reports that another person was in the car and an older age for the woman turned out to be wrong.

The five people in the SUV did not require medical attention, according to Gaston Emergency Medical Services.

The incident took place in the 5400 block of U.S. 321 near Community Road and close to State Line Scrap Yard.

Snowy weather conditions apparently led to an accident that killed an older woman in GastonCounty on Saturday afternoon.

Susan W. Teachout, 69, of 501 Elizabeth Ave., Gastonia, was driving northbound on U.S. 321 near the South Carolina state line just before 4:20 p.m. Saturday when her car hit an icy patch of roadway and spun out of control, according to Highway Patrol Trooper R.H. Pierce.

Teachout then stepped outside the car and went to the trunk area. A sport utility vehicle trying to change lanes to avoid her car also spun out due to icy road conditions and struck her, said Pierce.

"This was just one of those unfortunate accidents. She was just at the wrong place at the wrong time," Pierce said. "This part of the highway got slick real quick."

In fact another car wrecked about 25 yards north of the woman a short time before this wreck that turned fatal, Pierce said.

The driver of the SUV, Phillip Randy McDonald, 29, of Gastonia tried to warn the woman as he spun out of control, Pierce said.

"He attempted to blow his horn to get her attention, but by the time she turned around it was too late," Pierce said.

The front of the SUV struck Teachout, he said.

The call came in as just another wreck, one of more than a dozen because of icy conditions. Rescue workers then began hearing it was a pedestrian struck.

Investigators made a positive identification on the woman around midnight Saturday, but she apparently lived alone and troopers had trouble finding a next of kin. Earlier reports that another person was in the car and an older age for the woman turned out to be wrong.

The five people in the SUV did not require medical attention, according to Gaston Emergency Medical Services.

The incident took place in the 5400 block of U.S. 321 near Community Road and close to State Line Scrap Yard.

Rescue workers with Crowders Mountain Fire and Rescue, and other agencies, arrived to find a two-vehicle wreck.

The SUV also slid down an embankment after the collision with the woman, according to rescue workers.

The incident shut down northbound traffic for more than an hour.

Troopers advise people to stay in their car after a wreck or go someplace safe if at all possible. Pierce worked another wreck Saturday where a woman had gone off the road and while she was waiting for help to arrive another car struck her vehicle. Luckily she had gone to the other side of the road to wait for help.

You can reach Kevin Ellis at 704-869-1823 or on Twitter @TheGastonGazette.